Radio frequency identification (RFID) is employed in some very interesting ways today, but using the technology to make sure surgical materials aren’t left inside patients’ chest cavities following surgery just might be one of the coolest and most valuable applications—especially if you’re the one going under the knife. You may be surprised, but it’s not exactly uncommon for foreign objects to be left within patients’ chests following thoracic, or chest, surgeries. In fact, a 2003 New England Journal of Medicine study estimated such mistakes occur in 1 of every 1,000 to 1,500 interabdominal operations. And with a fall 2008 date set for when healthcare providers will stop receiving payment from Medicare for the removal of foreign object mistakenly sewn up inside patients, such providers are looking for systems to reduce these errors. And some are counting on RFID to get the job done, according to ChicagoTribune.com. Surgical sponges, which are made of gauze and are used to absorb blood or protect organs, are one of the objects most commonly left behind after surgery, the article says, probably because so many are used and they blend in once saturated. If left inside chest cavities, the sponges can lead to life-threatening infections. The RF-Detect system from Mundelein, Ill.-based Medline Industries helps health-care professionals keep tabs on all the surgical sponges employed during operations by using RFID tags embedded within them. A wand-like device is then waved over the surgery site to detect the RFID tags. The system adds $50 to $60 to each thoracic procedure, according to the article, but that’s peanuts compared to the costs of additional removal surgeries, which can cost upwards $50,000 a piece, and infection treatments—not to mention the costs of possible malpractice suits. Currently more than 50 hospitals have committed to or plan to trial the system over the coming two months, the Tribune article says. A nationwide rollout of RF-Detect is planned for this spring. So the next time you or someone you know goes under the knife, RFID technology could help to ensure their safe recovery. AS Related Links Mobile Phones to Transmit Vital Signs to Nurses Thanks to LG, Canadian Researchers Google May Help Doctors Diagnose Illness Health Care IT: The Right Dose of Technology Helps the Medicine Go Down Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe